BODY WORKS

AFTER JANUARY’S HEAT AND HUMIDITY, JULIETTE WINTER REVEALS HOW TO EASILY REVIVE LACKLUSTRE SKIN.

How to give your skin a little extra TLC after the summer holidays.

BY THE END OF SUMMER, our skin can look as tired and thirsty as the front lawn. According to Cancer Council Australia, more than two million of us end up sunburnt on a typical summer weekend, and the consequences to your skin go far deeper than the initial sting. “By this time of year, there may be more dark pigmentation spots on the skin, especially on the neck and shoulders,” says Danielle Mason, technical trainer for luxury French skincare brand, Gernetic. “There may even be a visible decrease in skin elasticity on the body.” But like your lawn, sun-ravaged skin can bounce back to some degree with a little extra TLC. According to Danielle, the first step is to feed it with the right nutrients, namely vitamin A, C and E, which will help neutralise free radicals, increase collagen production and improve cell turnover (the natural way to shake off dead skin cells and boost radiance). “You also need products that are rich in amino acids, which are the building blocks of all proteins, and give the skin what it needs to repair and heal itself,” says Danielle. “Trying to keep skin strong without amino acids is like trying to build a house without any building materials. It won’t be well made and it won’t last long.” Whatever products you choose, the way you apply them is crucial — taking your moisturiser all the way down to your chest is the most effective way to combat wrinkles, but Danielle also cautions against ‘tech neck’. “This is a new issue caused by constantly gazing down at our phones. Doing so causes horizontal wrinkles on the neck and décolletage.” If your skin is suffering from dehydration, body brushing with a natural bristle brush can be an effective and pleasant way to get rid of dead skin cells. “You get an immediate improvement in skin texture,” says Danielle. “Not only will it help with fine lines and wrinkles, but it will help to reduce the appearance of dark spots, too.” Dry body brushing also has added health benefits, such as improving blood circulation and lymphatic flow. “It reduces puffiness and cellulite, improves muscle tone, sloughs off dead skin cells and encourages skin cell renewal,” says Mukti, author of Truth in Beauty ($59.95). Mukti recommends dry body brushing before showering, working in gentle circular motions towards the heart. “Pay attention to your underarms and the inside of your thighs up near your groin where the lymph nodes are located. These areas can become sluggish and congested so giving them a bit of stimulation helps rid your body of unwanted waste.” As well as eliminating waste, your lymphatic system also transports nutrients and oxygen to your body, something it can do more efficiently after exercise or a massage. Danielle recommends lymphatic drainage massages to reduce stress levels and boost energy, as well as improve skin tone. “I’m an avid fan,” she says. “Your lymphatic system circulates, on average, three times a minute. A lymphatic massage can increase lymphatic circulation up to 30 times a minute.” If you suffer from puffiness, Jeannie Bourke, owner of Venustus Beauty and Body Lab in Sydney, says you’re likely to immediately notice an improvement after a lymphatic drainage massage. “Fluids carry toxins, immune cells and waste products to your lymph nodes, so a build-up causes puffiness. Lymphatic massage will certainly help,” she says. A 20-minute Epsom salts bath once or twice a week will further boost the detoxifying effect of a massage, or dry body brushing. “The combined effect of Epsom salt and hot water will help to draw toxins out of your skin, accelerate cleansing and detoxification, and replenish magnesium, which most of us are deficient in,” says Mukti. In addition to a cup of Epsom salts, she also recommends adding fresh ginger or ginger tea, or even a cup of organic raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar to the bath water. After toweling off, it pays to be quick to apply moisturiser while your skin is still damp to seal in the moisture. “Oils are better at locking moisture in because they are occlusive, while lotions and creams are often better at penetrating the skin because they are partly water-based,” says Danielle, who advises textural preference will be the main element that determines your choice. “Look for ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid and amino acids to help rebuild and restructure the skin barrier. You are helping the skin long-term as it enables it to hold moisture in.”